


Accidentally in Love

by leafyxthiefy



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daycare, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Family Feels, M/M, Marco is a father of two and I live for this content, Multi, Slow Burn, This is just pure indulgent fluff, and damn that teacher is amazing, because who doesn't need fluff, but like parent marco, fluffy fluff, i cannot stress it enough, look at Marco being the happy mother hen that he is, so marco moves and then there are complications, then he meets the daycare teacher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-11-06 16:40:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11040117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/leafyxthiefy/pseuds/leafyxthiefy
Summary: Marco was once a rebellious youth and his actions lead to fatherhood, a responsibility that he loves very much. He was blessed with a pair of twins Haruta and Thatch, who prove to be quite a handful when they aren't being perfect angels. However a needed move away from his supportive family will introduce the small family to two individuals in need of one of their own. MarcoAceSabo





	1. First Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Guys!~ Haha, guess who doesn't know the meaning of restraint? :D That's right I don't. I am coming at you guys with a whole new story!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one as it is a lovely concept that I fell in love with and hope to see to the end.
> 
> This one will be for the most part pretty tame? Maybe I don't think I should promise that... I'll let you know if the content changes ^^;
> 
> As always I own nothing in regards to One Piece or any other referenced media. Enjoy!~

"Dad!" An excited voice yelled into the silence of the apartment, not at all caring that he would in turn wake up his father.

"Dad! It's time!" Marco's bed began to move as soon as the toddler hoisted himself and his sibling onto the taller surface. The jostling didn't stop there though, pretty soon Marco's body started to jump in time with the motions that were imposed on the bed as the toddlers decided that jumping on the bed would be the perfect follow up to the fine morning.

"Yeah Papa! Today is the day, right, right?" The second voice chimed in and started pulling at Marco's arms with as much force as a three year old could.

"I am" Marco groaned closing his hand around the two small ones that pulled at his arm in case his daughter lost her grip.

"I'm awake, yoi." Marco murmured and opened his eyes to look at the smiling pair of children.

"Good morning!" Thatch and Haruta exclaimed cheerfully in unison to their sleepily disoriented father.

"Morning you two, did you get any sleep?" Marco asked as he lifted himself off of the bed and yawned, rubbing the rest of his sleep out of his eyes once his hands were freed from Haruta's grip.

"Uh-Huh! I slept for this many hours!" Haruta said, proudly displaying both of her open palms to Marco, while Thatch slipped off of the bed and nodded. "We slept lots!"

"That's good, you guys need your sleep after all, yoi." Marco smiled reaching out to ruffle the hair of his two children. Both toddlers grinned as they each took his hands and pulled him off of the bed with encouragements of "C'mon"'s and "We don' wanna be late."

Marco chuckled as he climbed onto his feet and looked over the two with the fondness only a father could possess. Marco was a single father of two–twins to be exact. They were no more than three–barely out of their two's by a month–with Haruta as the oldest of the two by four minutes, though it was clear that Thatch loved to take on the 'older sibling' role between the two.

Marco had to admit that they were quite a handful, he had had a lot of help during their infant years while he was living with Oyaji and the rest of his family, but recently his job had required him to move cities. Marco had been unable to refuse the offer, and to be quite honest with himself, the pay was infinitely better.

Unfortunately, taking on the new position and job had meant that he and his children would have to relocate to a different city and he could no longer entrust them to his sister Izo or any of his other numerous brothers. So Marco had had to look around the area and search for a daycare for his two precious children. And after a couple of weeks of searching, he found one that he was comfortable with. The daycare he found most suitable for his babies was called Ohara Daycare Center, the reviews he had read online were all very positive. Each and every one read that the staff was very friendly and attending to the children. They were in a highly safe environment where they were also taught socializing skills as well as basic academic things according to their ages.

When Marco had gone to scout out the place he had met with Robin, the founder of the little establishment and one of the teachers there. She had assured Marco that every child was looked after, they took every precaution when it came to signing the children in and signing them out at the end of the day. The children were allowed breaks between every two hours and were given snacks in the middle of the day, the meals were either provided by the daycare or lunches packed by their parents. Robin had also given Marco a pamphlet that detailed their activities and schedules depending on their age groups.

Marco had taken the information home and gone over it a million times by himself and with his family until Izo made him see that Ohara was a really great environment for his children to be, and that it would actually be beneficial for them to get a head start on their learning practices.

Marco had not been entirely convinced until he checked out the complete history of the daycare's credentials and looked into their licenses. In the end, everything checked out, they were approved by school boards–recommended even–all of their staff knew basic first aid, and had training in CPR, they all held child development degrees and certificates, and some even held degrees in child psychology. It was only then that Marco returned to the daycare and enrolled his beloved children.

And this new experience was exactly why Thatch and Haruta were so ecstatic that morning. However, it wasn't the only first of that week, now that Marco was more or less settled into his new apartment, he was now supposed to resume his job at his new location.

Marco was least excited about that little detail, but had long since come to terms with it and was much more invested in the twins special experience. Thatch and Haruta got along great with the kids in their old neighborhood, and with their extended family they had never had a shortage of people to look after them. For Marco, it was both equally wonderful and terrifying to finally face the day. He was glad that his children were going to have a change in their perspective and were going to have a little more of experience with the world, but the thought of leaving them with people he didn't entirely know also pained him; yet Marco knew that it was a step he needed to take.

So with that encouraging thought in mind, Marco got to work on pouring the cereal, Thatch preferred the chocolate flavored sweets while Haruta liked cereal of the fruity variety. Marco then placed some slices of bread into the toaster and got the coffee machine running before he excused himself to ready their clothes. In what little time he had to ready himself, Marco managed to brush his teeth, get dressed and brush his hair before returning to the kitchen where he served his kids their toast and picked up their empty bowls.

"Do you want Jelly or peanut butter, yoi?" Marco asked as he opened the cabinet, getting a request for both condiments by each child.

Marco smiled fondly and helped them coat their toasts with both spreads just as his coffee machine finished topping off his mug and _beeped_ to let him know that it was done.

Marco put the peanut butter and jelly away and took his cup of coffee into his hands breathing in the scent of the fresh brew before taking that first mouth watering sip; allowing himself a small moment to revel in the bitter taste of his coffee before getting back to business. Once Thatch and Haru were finished with their toast, he lead them away to the room they shared and started the process of getting them ready.

"Dad are you gonna do my hair? I want it to be this big!" Thatch held his hand high above his head as he looked expectantly to Marco, while Haruta kicked her feet in the air and made the untied laces of her shoes swing with the motion.

"Do you think you can tie your shoelaces Haru, yoi?" Marco asked as he took a comb and started to work on Thatch's hair. His son was introduced to some old kung fu movies by Jozu and from that moment forward Thatch had been adamant that he wanted his hair to resemble that of the starring hero. Izo was the first to give it a shot on the small boy after a couple of months of growing his hair out. Needless to say that under Izo's crafty hands Thatch was able to sport a little pompadour upon his head.

Haruta pouted as she looked at her feet, watching the shoelaces bounce and sway with each kick. "But it's hard." she grumbled.

"It's only hard at first sweetie, but if you keep trying I'm sure that you can do it. C'mon give it a try, yoi." Marco encouraged while he puffed up Thatch's hair.

"But I can't do it." Haruta whined, her lower lip sticking out as she intensified her pout.

"Sure you can, give it one try and I will help you when I'm done with Thatch." Marco said patiently and placed a hand over Thatch's face while warning him to take a breath before he released the cloud of hair spray. Marco knew that many experts didn't recommend shoe lacing until five years and above, but Marco saw it as a skill that should be taught sooner rather than later, and if he was quite honest with himself he believed that his children were slightly smarter than others; this of course could be a complete biased statement on his part.

Marco had always been a patient person, even as a child. It was rare to see him flustered and even more rare to see him lose his collected demeanor, but Marco admitted that he had had his moments of rebellion and blatant disregard for rules particularly around the end of his college career. But after that bout of rebellion Marco had gotten his act together and became the parent he was today.

Patience truly was a virtue, but Marco had caught on early on that with children you had to take things step by step. Losing one's cool was never the correct response and often lead to a negative experience for the child. So Marco always did his best to explain to his twins that they were capable of doing things even if they thought they couldn't, and if they failed then that was alright because he was there to help.

With a gentle guiding hand and the right amount of encouragement and positive feedback Marco was able to teach Thatch and Haruta their address and his cellphone number for emergency reasons. Of course he had still gone out and had the identifying bracelets with his home address and phone number made for them. Marco hoped that they would never have to use the bracelets, but it was best for him to be absolutely sure that they could have the information handy.

With no further complaints Haruta had seated herself on the floor and pulled her foot to herself while she took one of her laces into each of her hands and repeated the rhyme that had been taught to them. "Over and ov-no under...and puuuull it tight." she hummed.

Marco smiled as he tapped Thatch's untied shoe as well. "You too buddy, try for me, yoi?"

"Make a bow." Haruta sang and Thatch's blue eyes followed her movements as she crossed the loops and paused.

"Oh, oh! I know!" Thatch chimed cheerfully. "Pull it through and do it tight! Right dad!"

"You're both right. Good job I am very proud of both of you, yoi." Marco grinned and helped Haruta out with her second shoe while Thatch tried out the rhyme on his own shoe.

After that it was smooth sailing, Marco tied his tie and ushered his children into his small economic car. A little four door automatic five-speed sedan with a 1.8 liter engine that took fifty-six miles per gallon all while purring silently under the hood. To say that Marco didn't love his third child would be a lie, Marco's car was another member of his family. Marco had had his car for five years now and had customized him in a light shade of aqua and accented some pieces with gold. The seats were of course white leather and rimmed with purple, on the middle of each seat was an embroidered symbol, a cross with what appeared to be a U looping through its middle. The logo of their family crest.

The Newgate family was of course known throughout his hometown, since Edward–or Oyaji as Marco and his siblings called him–was a very prominent member of their city. He was a kind man that had inherited a large amount of money from his family who had ran a successful boating company in their time, and though Oyaji still partook in the trade involving vessels and cargo shipping, his true passion came in a different way. Along with the money he had inherited a rather large household which he later converted into a foster home and housed many of the town's children who had nowhere to go. It was there that Marco had met Edward and had been subsequently been the first child adopted into the Newgate family.

Homesickness washed over Marco for a brief moment but he didn't let that show as he strapped Thatch and Haruta into their car seats. Marco made extra sure that they were buckled in safely before checking that the child lock option on the doors was pressed and only then did he feel comfortable enough to close the doors.

The drive to Ohara Daycare was fairly close, a ten minute drive even with the morning traffic. That of course had been another deciding factor for Marco, who needed to know that he was close to the Daycare in the case that he needed to get there fast. Marco had calculated the distance, his home by car was 10 minutes, by foot was 30 minutes, and his work was about the same distance. Marco had also taken into account that if he were to run to the Daycare he would cut his time by half.

Marco pulled into the driveway and let the engine run for a second before turning it off. "Are you ready, yoi?"

Two excited "Yes!"s reached his ears and Marco wondered if he himself was ready to let them go just yet. His blue eyes looked to the excited toddlers through the rearview mirror and Marco decided that he was as ready as he ever would be.

Climbing out of his car and gathering his children from the backseat Marco took each of them into one hand and started the relatively short walk to the daycare.

"I'm only going to be gone for a few hours and I'll pick you guys up around four, that's when the big hand on the clock is on the 12 and the little one on the four, yoi. But if you need _anything_ at all, tell them to call me and I'll be here okay?"

"Okay!" "Yes Papa!" both twins answered and Marco smiled, squeezing each of their hands within his own. Marco was sure that the gesture was more to reassure himself than his babies, but he wasn't about to complain.

Stepping past the doors, Marco was immediately greeted with a friendly environment. Pastel yellows, blues, pinks and greens decorated the walls in wonderful sceneries of small almost realistic animals. Marco had been stunned by the details on his first meeting and even now he was captivated by the attention to detail, and now Marco was not an art enthusiast by any means but he had gone to a couple of art galleries with Rakuyo but that was Marco's extent of knowledge on the matter.

"Good morning, may I help you?" A voice startled Marco out of his admiring and he automatically smiled to the man who had appeared.

"Good morning, I am Marco Newgate, and these are Thatch and Haruta. I met with Mrs. Nico last week about enrollment, yoi. She already briefed me on everything and has given me the tour of the place, she said we were all set for their first day here."

"Ah, yes. Robin did tell me you would be stopping by early today, unfortunately she will be coming in later today so she was unable to be here to welcome you. My name is Sabo Kakumei, it is very nice to meet you." Sabo smiled and after Marco let go of Thatch's hand, he shook it politely.

"I fill in for Robin when she is out, and I am the teacher of Group 3-A, which is where I believe you two are placed." Sabo added and knelt down to a shorter height to address the twins. "How are you two feeling this morning? Ready for your first day at daycare?"

"Yes, good!" Thatch beamed and on Marco's other side Haruta nodded eagerly along with her brother. "Yes, mister Kau..Kamui?"

"Kakumei, yoi." Marco corrected and nudged them to shake the teacher's hand.

Sabo chuckled, "It's okay no worries. I realize that my name isn't exactly the easiest name to remember, so call me Mr. Sabo okay?"

Haruta and Thatch nodded, "Kay Mr. Sabo!"

Marco caught the beaming smile of the teacher and had to smile himself, he was steadily becoming more and more comfortable with leaving his darling kids in the hands of the daycare.

"Do you have any questions for me, Mr. Newgate?" Sabo asked turning Marco's attention back to him and away from his kids.

"Surprisingly none, yoi." Marco smiled, "Ms. Nico was kind enough to give me the complete rundown of your facility. I have packed their lunches and all emergency contact information is in their files, they both have all of their shots and no known allergies…" he trailed off.

"First time at daycare for you too then?" Sabo asked.

Marco smiled sheepishly. "That obvious, yoi?"

Sabo chuckled, "It is completely understandable, I can only imagine what parents feel after they have to leave their kids in our care. Actually, I sometimes feel the same panic when I leave Ace alone at home, but you can rest assured that Haruta and Thatch will be very well taken care of. If you need to stay here longer that is completely fine."

"As much as I would love to." Marco sighed, "I'm afraid I have to report to work can't be late to my other first day."

With that being said Marco knelt down to embrace his twins. A wave of emotion welled and filled Marco as he held them tightly, he didn't–or rather was definitely not ready for this, but he had to push himself through it. Gulping back his unease Marco smiled and kissed each of their cheeks before whispering, "Be nice to Mr. Kakumei okay and remember I'm only a phone call away. I love you both very much."

"We love you too, dad." Haruta and Thatch replied hugging Marco back and after a second pulling away, eager to start their new day.

Above them Sabo smiled and in order to give them a small second of privacy headed over to the counter where he retrieved a book.

Marco signed his twins into the daycare, and with that stroke of the pen he said his final goodbyes of the morning and headed off to work with a heavy heart already counting down the seconds to four in the afternoon.


	2. Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco's first day at work isn't exactly what he had had in mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I won't hold you up too long, but I just want to give a quick heads up that today is National Parents Day! And a better day could not have been chosen for this update.
> 
> Also there was no beta, so if there are any mistakes please let me know!
> 
> So, onwards with our favorite pineapple dad! Enjoy!~

"And this is your new office, we do hope you find it to your liking." Ms. Boa said as she opened a door inset with small panels of decorative rain glass.

"Your email has, of course, been transferred from your previous network and you can find your extension displayed on the screen of your phone. The office was of course cleared of any clutter, feel free to add any personal items to on the desk and bookshelves, and if you need any picture frames on the wall we advise against hammering nails into the wall. Please be civilized and use the command strips that peel off of the walls when you are done with them. The blinds I am sure you can figure out. Ah, and as for music; please keep it at a reasonable volume and for the love of Enel nothing too obscene." Ms. Boa finished curtly, head raised exaggeratingly so.

As far as first impressions went, Marco was not too thrilled to be escorted around by Hancock Boa, sure she was beautiful. Drop dead gorgeous if Marco was honest with himself, Marco was no fool, he knew beauty when he saw it, and he could definitely see how attractive Ms. Boa was. But that was never an excuse to look down on people, which was exactly what Hancock tended to do. In the small span of ten minutes that Marco had spent with the woman, he could already tell that she was  _very_  much aware of the fact that she was beautiful and used that as much as she could.

When they had first met, she had worn a sly little smile and a look that was meant to look down on Marco. She had approached him slowly, confidently, her hips moving in what he could only guess was supposed to place him in a sort of trance or at the very least capture his full attention. Marco had taken a deep breath and straightened himself, keeping his eyes on the only respectable place he could.

Surprise had shone in those dark eyes the moment Marco's gaze landed on hers and her smile only widened. Marco was not deterred by her looks, and he most certainly was not going to be taken in by her appearance, he had learned long ago that anything between coworkers never ended well, and office relationships were meant to be kept as impersonalized as possible.

When she introduced herself, Marco remained visibly unruffled, his smile was polite and his handshake firm enough to let her know that he was not one to fall for whatever game she was playing. If she had meant to intimidate or even ensnare Marco under that gaze of hers, she was sorely mistaken. Marco spoke smoothly as he introduced himself and as she returned the favor, her gaze darkened slightly.

Marco could only guess that she was not too pleased he had not commented on her appearance or was the slightest bit starstruck when they had met. That small action could have explained why her attitude had chilled only seconds after their meeting.

That isn't to say that she still didn't try to rouse a comment from Marco, because try she did, it was almost laughable, the way she took extreme care to always show Marco her right side, and the way she pushed out her chest, she was definitely trying her best to catch Marco staring at her at the beginning of their tour. But as time progressed, her annoyance became apparent in her speech and her efforts plummeted.

At the end of their tour, she seemed to be sulking, speaking tersely to Marco as she was no doubt itching to head back to people that actually fed her compliments on her appearance. The moment Marco expressed his gratitude to Hancock, she flipped her hair, muttered her goodbye and stalked away briskly.

Not even seconds later, Marco heard the distinct sound of someone complimenting how beautiful her hair was that morning.

Sighing, Marco entered his office, and took in the space. It certainly was larger than his previous one, then again most spaces were bigger than a 4x4 cubicle.

Throughout the day Marco was visited by a variety of people who stopped by to introduce themselves and offer him to help should he ever need it. Marco of course greeted each and every one of them with a polite and welcoming smile before offering them the same, he knew he was the new person in the office, but that did not mean he couldn't offer any help.

* * *

"The big hand is not where it's supposed to be." Haruta was the first to notice that the clock hand had moved away from the 12 and was inching towards the one.

Sabo hummed as he followed her gaze and smiled at the small child, "You can read the time Haruta?"

"Yes!" The small girl's puzzled frown lifted into a bright smile as she bounced with pride. "Papa taught us that the big hand counts mities and the bigger one counts owls."

"That's very good Haruta, but don't worry your dad will be here soon. Why don't you and Thatch go play with the other kids while your dad gets here?" Sabo suggested, gently guiding Haruta to where a small group of children were playing on the hopscotch mat.

Sabo couldn't help but be impressed at the level the two kids were, yes Haruta had essentially mispronounced both time measurements, but the concept of it had still been taught to the point where they could  _recognize_  what each of the hands meant. Sabo wondered what other pieces of information the kids had been taught under their father.

Before meeting him that day, Sabo hadn't known what to expect. From what Sabo had heard from Robin the man was an interesting fellow, after all how many parents went the extra million miles to actually background check a day care center? Sabo wasn't sure, but the fact that this man did so was heart warming. If Sabo hadn't seen the display of adoration for the twins firsthand that morning, he would have just pegged the man as a paranoid parent. Instead Sabo saw him in a new light of overprotective, but in a well meaning way.

"Bye Mr. Kakumei! I'll see you tomorrow okay!" a voice shouted towards the entrance and Sabo was pulled from his musings to see Holy and his older sister Amanda waving to him.

"Have a great day you two, be safe!" Sabo called back with a wave of his own.

Usually the pickup process lasted from four in the afternoon until five and very rarely did parents or designated caretakers take longer to arrive at the Daycare. However, it was still the Ohara Daycare's policy to not close the center until every last child was picked up. So it really didn't surprise Sabo that he was still there, all other staff members had said their goodnights and gone home, Robin included.

"Thatch, why isn't Papa here yet?" Haruta asked as she clung to her brothers sleeve, her blue eyes trained on the clock, watching as the time ticked by.

Sabo turned in time to see Thatch shrug a shoulder helplessly before he confessed, "I dunno. The small hand is moving away and the big one is at the bottom."

It really was remarkable how well the twins could read the face of a clock, especially an analogue one. Sabo was so used to seeing children unable to recognize the shape of certain numbers, but he supposed that their dad had his own reasons for teaching Haruta and Thatch so early. Still, he shouldn't be dwelling on questions he would most likely never know the answer to. Sabo needed to calm his two charges down before giving Marco a call to see if he would be out longer.

"Hey now you two don't look so glum." Sabo knelt next to the children and gave them a reassuring smile, "your dad's probably stuck in traffic and a few minutes away, c'mon let's–"

"I'm sorry I'm late, yoi!" the front door opened with the help of a distraught looking father.

"Papa!" two voices cried out in unison and Sabo's heart tugged at the sight of the two children rushing at their father and jumping into his arms.

"I'm so sorry Haru, Thatch. There was this meeting and… I'm sorry, yoi." Sabo could hear a small tremble in the man's voice and his heart went out to the small family.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Mr. Newgate." Sabo said lightly whilst a warm smile came to his face. "Would you guys like to tell your dad what you did today?"

Marco blinked in Sabo's direction, almost as if surprised that he was there. It was strange, but Sabo found that he really didn't mind, after all he could only guess that the relief of seeing his children again was much more important than a daycare employee.

But before Marco could comment on the situation, Thatch had already gained wind.

"Dad! Me and Haru made this!" Thatch's hands pulled away from Marco to stretch his arms out as far to either side as possible. "Many friends! And we played many games, right Haru?"

Next to Thatch Haruta nodded, though still sniffling.

Sabo watched as Marco gave his kids another warm hug and set them down before rising from his knee, his hand securely holding each of his twins as he finally looked to Sabo.

"I don't have the words to express just how grateful I am to you, Mr. Kakumei, yoi." Marco started and bowed his head. "Please accept my deepest apologies, I was unable to call you and let you know that I was going to be late. There was a meeting I was unable to get away from and what I have done is inexcusable, yoi. Thank you so much for looking after Haruta and Thatch."

From the moment Marco bowed his head, Sabo became flustered, not really used to having people apologize so seriously to him. Sabo laughed nervously as he waved his hands while rushing his words trying to appease the worried parent, "Ah, no. No it's fine Mr. Newgate really, you don't have to bow. These things happen every now and then, it was no trouble at all looking after these two, they're actually a pleasure to have around."

Marco rose from his bow, but his shoulders still slumped with guilt. "Thank you all the same Mr. Kakumei, I will do my best to call you in case this happens again, yoi."

Sabo still felt bad for the poor guy, normally he would suggest if there was an alternative person who could pick up the children. But after he had read the man's application and noted that his emergency contacts were out of town, Sabo supposed that that option was not the best.

So Sabo took matters into his own hands and walked over to the desk. "Sometimes these things can't be helped, and I get that some bosses can be," Sabo glanced to the children and smiled, "difficult, but maybe you can send over a text instead of a call, do you think that would be able to work?" Sabo asked as he extended a sticky note with his number written neatly on it.

"Normally we don't hand our personal cell numbers for certain reasons," Sabo chuckled, "but I'm sure Robin will agree with me that in this case a little bending of the rules will be for the best."

Marco looked stunned to say the least as he looked to the paper and then to Sabo, but he accepted the paper nonetheless. "Thank you very much Mr. Kakumei–"

"Call me Sabo," Sabo cut Marco's sentence off. "We don't need to be so formal, and it's after work hours, besides Mr. Kakumei sounds so impersonal." Sabo said with a chuckle.

Marco gave the barest of smiles and nodded, "Thank you for everything, I'll be sure to let you know next time M–Sabo, yoi."

Sabo beamed in the man's direction, there was something endearing in the way Marco said his name right before his verbal tic sneaked into his sentence. Moments later Marco had signed off on his pick up of his twins and all of them said their goodbyes, leaving Sabo to a last round of checking the classrooms before locking up for the day.

* * *

"There you are, Bo. Get lost on your way home again?" A voice asked from the kitchen entrance where an amused man grinned devilishly at Sabo.

"Good to see you too Ace, my day went pretty well thank you for asking." Sabo rolled his eyes as he kicked off his shoes and hung his coat on the rack. "And for your information, that was one time!"

Ace laughed as he crossed the distance and pecked a kiss to Sabo's cheek. "I know, that's why I said 'again'. But it's been awhile since you were this late, is everything okay?"

Sabo leaned against Ace, wrapping his arms around his bare chest. "Yeah, everything is fine. We had a new addition today, and the dad was held up at work."

"And he didn't think to call?"

"That's just it." Sabo hummed. "This guy is more than invested in his kids, remember when I told you someone was digging into the Daycare's background and running all sorts of checks? This is our guy. He cares alot about his kids, but for whatever reason he wasn't allowed to make a phone call."

"Sounds sketchy to me." Ace grumbled.

"Considering he works for Baroque Works, I don't think so." Sabo answered.

"Wait isn't that where Robin used to work? Isn't that place supposed to be hell on earth?" Ace asked rather surprised.

"The very one." Sabo confirmed. "I think that's the main reason Robin has taken such an interest in this family."

"And no one else could have picked them up, where's the mom?"

Sabo shrugged, "As far as we can tell not in the picture, she's not listed in any of the paperwork."

"I see." Ace mused and took Sabo's hand, "let's get you fed and you can tell me all about your awesome day down at the daycare."

Sabo smiled as he was lead into the kitchen, though a small part of him nagged for him to ask. "Please tell me nothing went wrong for you today, you didn't burn anything down did you?"

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure you don't need me to come down there? I have a weekend suitcase all ready to go, just tell me and I'll get down there within the hour."

"I'm positive, yoi. It was just a bumpy start on the road. Besides Oyaji needs you there to look after him and the house." Marco assured his sister knowing very well that her 'weekend' suitcase was meant for anything but a weekend stay. Izo tended to pack for more than a weekend, and if Marco's hunch was correct, which it usually was, then Izo would plan to spend around three weeks to a month at his house.

Marco appreciated the gesture, he honestly did, but he couldn't very well ask his sister to drop everything and come to his rescue whenever things got tough. Marco had to figure things out on his own before he asked for help.

"Marco dear, you and I both know that Oyaji will be fine, if anything he would support one of us being there, but I understand. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, but the moment I hear that something is off, I will personally march down there and help you out, okay?"

Marco knew Izo's statement was not a suggestion in the slightest, but a very real promise. "What would I ever do without you Izo, yoi."

Marco was warmed by the peels of laughter that sounded off on the other end of the phone. "I think it's safe to say no one wants to find out, wouldn't you agree love?"

"Wholeheartedly." Marco agreed and joined in on her laughter.

"I need to put the twins to bed Izo, wish Oyaji a good night for me, would you?"

"Of course, and you do the same with those two, Marco, I can't even begin to tell you how much they are missed here, now who am I going to read bedtime stories to?" Marco could practically see his sisters pout over the phone.

Marco promised he would do a story for each of them and that it wouldn't be long before they stopped by for a visit, possibly that weekend.

"Papa, are you okay?" Haruta's hand held onto Marco's finger and he almost jumped from his seat at the table.

"Of course I am sweetie." Marco said softly as he lifted her and settled her on his lap.

"Me and Haru were worried." Thatch spoke up next, climbing onto Marco's lap as well, looking down and suddenly much smaller than he had back at the daycare.

Marco heaved a sigh and pressed a kiss to the crown of both of their heads. "I know." he whispered.

"I was too." Marco confessed, "And I'm sorry I made you worry." The only thing he could do was hold his children tightly, reassure them that he was there now and that he was not going to abandon them.

"If I'm late again I will let Mr. Kakumei know."

"Promise?" Haruta's words were almost silent against the fabric of Marco's shirt, where her face was buried and her small hands were bunched into small fists.

Marco's heart broke at the sight of his little girl and even more so when Thatch sniffled in agreement.

"I promise with all my heart, I may be late again, but I'll forever be there for you both."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And on that note, we will end the day.
> 
> Thank you so much for the amazing guessed in the last chapter, I assure you that their mother will be made known at some point in the story, but not in the foreseeable future. And to those of you I owed a preview to, I'm sorry but I probably should have asked for a way to contact you for that, like a tumblr url or even email.
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts! I love hearing back from you guys, and I promise I'll try to get to the next chapter sooner.
> 
> Till next time!~


	3. Rumors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! What's this? A new chapter?
> 
> You bet your sweet face it is! Lol know I did not have a beta reader so any mistakes I made weren't caught on my second read through, but I won't keep you anymore, enjoy!~

The rest of the week went without a hitch; at least it did where the twins and the daycare were concerned. Work, however, was a different matter altogether.

Marco, it seemed, had not made a good impression on a certain presidential secretary of Baroque Works. And as a result, every time he stepped out of his office Marco could feel those dark eyes on him, following him until he reached his destination and then once more on his route back to his office. But, it was around Wednesday, his third day at the office, that Marco began to hear the whispers.

Despite his efforts to be polite to everyone and to make absolutely sure he never missed returning or initiating a smile or greeting, Marco was being dubbed as ill-mannered. Then they began to whisper that he was odd or stuck up because he didn't partake in their idle chatter during breaks; and he certainly didn't tune in to the latest gossip flowing through the office. By Thursday, a new rumor arose that he had transferred himself specifically for the purpose of taking Hancock's job for himself.

How these inaccurate and rather distasteful rumors had surfaced, Marco could only guess. But he paid them no mind, after all he was there to get his work done and support his family. What the other people decided to say behind his back didn't really bother him at all; until it did.

By the end of the Friday, his status as a single parent was the latest scoop. It had begun in his office. Marco was typing away at the keyboard, finishing up an email he was going to send a client in regards to a pending matter when there was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in, yoi." Marco said right before hitting  _send._  And immediately regretting his words upon seeing his guest.

Hancock strode into Marco's office, and immediately her presence demanded Marco's full attention. There was no such thing as 'casual Friday' to Hancock it seemed, since she was wearing a wine red power suit, with a rather large slit splitting the pencil skirt just below her right thigh. And of course she wore no stockings, choosing to instead display her long legs in her matching red heels.

Marco held in the exasperated sigh he so desperately wanted to exhale and instead smiled in Hancock's direction. "Good morning Ms. Boa, it's good to see you."

Hancock smiled back to him, her arms crossing underneath her breasts deliberately pushing them up farther by the looks of it. Marco couldn't help but fear the very real possibility of her blazer giving way under the pressure and being forced to witness her cleavage spilling out and over the edge of the rather low collar. Marco really hoped the situation wouldn't come to that.

"Nice to see you too, Mr. Newgate." Boa replied smoothly, "I meant to stop by earlier in the week to see how you were adjusting, but I was held up with a few matters. Are you having any trouble getting settled?"

"I can't say that I am, yoi." Marco said, making sure to keep his tone neutral over the matter. "Everyone has been quite welcoming."

Marco watched as the slightly pleased look on Hancock's face shifted into something that he couldn't quite catch before it settled into decided indifference.

"I see." Hancock muttered, "I am sure Mr. Crocodile will be pleased to hear that you are being received with open arms you're getting along with the rest of the company. We can't have you starting off on the wrong foot now can we?"

"No." Marco agreed, "I suppose we couldn't Miss Boa. But you don't need to worry, I think I have made a good impression, yoi."

"Of course." Hancock drawled, finally breaking eye contact with Marco and gazing around the room. No doubt taking note that Marco had gone to the liberty of decorating his desk with family pictures, and his own array of stationaire.

Now Marco was no stranger to people casually taking his framed pictures off of his desk at his previous office, but there was just something unsettling about the way Hancock went about it, Even before she picked up an item, Marco could already feel something churning in his stomach that only grew while he watched Hancock pluck one of the portraits.

Her dark eyes studied the picture Marco knew had been taken at their last familial event where he and Izo were holding the twins, smiling into the camera. "You have a lovely family, Mr. Newgate. You must introduce me to your wife one day."

It wasn't necessarily uncommon for Izo to be misidentified as the twin's mother when they were out in public, and Marco had long since learned that people loved to impose their forms of normalcy upon him and his small family. Even so, explaining his situation never got any easier.

"Thank you, Miss Boa, but she is not my wife, yoi. She is my sister, Izo. Though, I can introduce you all the same." Marco mustered up a small smile, dreading the question that was undoubtedly going to spill from Hancock's lips next.

"Hm, yes of course." Hancock hummed, "it was nice of your wife to take a picture of you and your sister with the children."

Realizing he was not about to get away so easily about the matter, Marco sighed internally. His voice, however, never wavered nor hesitated as he spoke to Hancock. "I do not have a wife, Miss Boa. The mother of my children is not involved in their lives."

"Really?" the surprised look was exactly what Marco had come to expect from others. It was rarely ever a positive one, and it most always fell on one of two ways. Pity or borderline appalled. Needless to say Hancock's look was a perfect mixture of both examples. "I never took you as a single father, Mr. Newgate, it must be hard on you, and the children to live without a mother?"

"We get by, yoi." Marco clipped and cleared his throat. "Miss Boa, while I appreciate your concern, please be assured that my children are being raised in a nurturing and loving home. Now if you would be so kind as to excuse me, I have a conference call in about five minutes, and I can't very well be late can I?" Marco inquired as he gathered his things and looked expectantly at his visitor.

"No, of course not." Hancock agreed, "I shall take my leave then." she intoned settling the framed picture back on his desk and shot Marco an impish grin. "Enjoy your conference call, Mr. Newgate."

Marco was left to watch as Hancock sashayed her way out of his office and down the hall, collecting her daily compliments.

The rest of his day was spent with Marco having to  _feel_  judgemental eyes on him from everyone in the office. It wasn't the prying eyes that crawled under his skin though, it was the hushed comments that were whispered around him that really struck his nerves.

" _Those poor children."_

" _How does he manage to keep it together."_

" _And what of the mother?."_

" _But did she abandon them?"_

" _What kind of mother abandons her kids?"_

" _You're right, he probably just denied her all rights to the kids."_

" _Well he_ is _a Newgate, I heard that family is loaded."_

By the end of the day, Marco was already at his limit. When his clock hit exactly 3:45, Marco was already gunning for the door.

No one stopped him, no one wished him a good weekend, and that was all fine with Marco. Afterall he was not entirely sure what would come out of his mouth at that moment. Back home Marco was described to have the patience of a Saint, but after a particularly coarse and unpleasant week, could he really be blamed?

The second Marco sat behind the wheel he slumped over it and shouted into the emptiness of his car. Marco's composure had cracked in less than 7 hours after his meeting with Hancock Boa. Just what was that woman after exactly? Was she out to ruin Marco? What could she possibly gain from all of this anyway.

Marco came up with no plausible answers. The only wrong he could have committed was not complimenting her upon meeting her, but was that seriously it? Would a compliment really fix things for him at work? Marco didn't know, but maybe Izo would.

* * *

"So," Ace waggled his eyebrows. "How was your day?"

"What's with that face?" Sabo sniggered, unable to hold back his laughter over the way he was greeted when he got home.

"What do you mean? I always look this way." Ace defended as he did his best to look mildly offended at the comment, but pretty soon failed miserably and fell into the same laughter fit that had caught a hold on Sabo.

"No, but seriously, I'm genuinely curious!" Ace tried again as Sabo fell onto the livingroom couch next to him.

"I know you are," Sabo smiled and slipped under Ace's arm to snuggle into his warm chest. "But did you really have to wiggle your eyebrows at me as you said it?"

"I thought you liked my eyebrows?" Ace teased falling off of the subject he had been adamantly defending a few seconds ago.

"Ace, I love everything about you, but you're a dork." Sabo deadpanned, but before Ace could counter the statement, he added. "But my day was as you could expect. The children were wonderful, and today we had to merge with Hina's class, so the kids had a pretty good time. And you, what did you get up to while I was away?"

Ace grinned, "I'm so glad you asked! While you were out being the best contributor to society on earth; I, your adoring and amazingly awesome boyfriend, got us tickets to...want to give me a drumroll?"

"Well don't sell yourself so short there, Acey." Sabo laughed and mimicked the sound of a drumroll as best as he could, much to Ace's amounting excitement.

"The Spades!"

Sabo shot up from where he was pressed against Ace and gave him the best shocked expression he had, "You didn't!"

"Oh but I  _did!_ " Ace declared and produced two laminated tickets that only cemented Sabo's certainty that Ace truly was the most adoring, amazing, and awesome boyfriend he claimed to be.

Unable to contain his excitement, Sabo reached over to the concert tickets and looked them over, "I can't believe you managed to get a hold on these, I know for a fact that the entire New World tour was sold out months ago!"

"To be fair, they were and still are." Ace confirmed, his smile turning sheepish. "Remember old man Saul? The guy I was doing that series of murals for pro bono? Well, it turns out that he and the band manager are close friends, so he was given these tickets. Saul noticed one of the shirts I was wearing or, rather took off one day and well, he figured he could pay me with these."

"And you just accepted them?" Sabo asked, snapping out of his trance, though unable to make any disapproving looks at Ace, since truth be told, he was unsure if he could refuse such a payment either.

"Well not at first." Ace confessed. "Geez, I wasn't about to snatch these outta Saul, I told him it was fine, that I didn't expect any payment as we had said in the beginning, but he wouldn't hear of it. He promised me that the only reason he had taken them in the first place was because his friend insisted. So he thought that because he wasn't going to use the tickets, why not give them to us. Who am I to deny his wish Sabo?"

"You make a very valid point." Sabo hummed and returned to his spot against Ace, "I still can't wrap my head around it. I stayed up all night, suffered through the crashing server  _twice_  and even then I was too late to get a hold of these."

"You and me both, but that's in the past now Sabby." Ace tilted Sabo's face up and the two shared a kiss, both unable to stop grinning excitedly.

* * *

"Oh my, look at how big you guys have grown!" Izo exclaimed as the twins rushed at her and jumped into her arms with peals of laughter.

"We missed you aunt Izzy!" the children declared as they were smothered in kisses until they pulled away and ran into the familiar house to greet the rest of their relatives.

Marco and Izo watched them with equally fond smiles that warmed further when they heard the boisterous cries of their various family members as they were met by the young duo.

"It really has been much quieter without you three here." Izo commented as they started towards the house, "Though those two could never compare to the amount of noise you make." Izo teased and paused.

"Marco, dear, are you alright? You look a little wilted?"

Marco flashed her a reassuring smile, "I'll explain later, for now let's get those two settled in."

"Marco, there is no 'settling into' needed, it hasn't even been a full week since they left, do you really think they've forgotten the routine we have here?" Izo questioned and upon seeing the look on Marco's face, she relented. "Okay, okay, you win. But don't think I won't come after you later to see what's eating away at you, get settled in and I'll look after the two."

Marco's expression could be described no other way other than grateful as he gave his sister a warm hug and headed up the stairs where his old room was waiting for him. Before their big move, Oyaji had made sure to nail it into Marco that his house would  _always_  be their home no matter where they ran off to. And thus Marco had been told to leave some spare clothes behind for himself and the twins, for when they stopped by to visit.

Marco stood by the doorframe for a few moments, looking into the room he had called his for the better part of his life, twenty years to be exact. It was strange, the new view he was getting of a room he had known every crook and cranny to not even a week ago.

It had only been six days since he was last there, and by all means everything was still where he had left it. All of his pens and books were in their rightful places, there were a few of them missing of course as well as a few family portraits, but other than those details everything else was there. Marco had the same curtains, bedsheets, lamp, desk, drawers. And yet, Marco almost felt like a stranger there.

But Marco didn't walk into his room as his sister had suggested, instead he walked down the hall to where his father usually was.

"Oyaji?" Marco questioned, gently knocking on the open door to his office.

"My son, you know better than that." Edward chided as he glanced up from his ledger. "How was your trip here?"

"Sorry, Oyaji, old habit, yoi." Marco confessed as he stepped into the room and approached his father. "The ride was as you would expect, almost two hours due to traffic. How Izo claims she could make it to Grandline within an hour is beyond me."

"Gurararara, I think you and I both know not to place any restrictions on Izo." Edward advised sagely and Marco had to smile, knowing very well that despite all odds, Izo would actually make the impossible happen.

"Is there something wrong my son?"

Marco's smile fell slightly as he took a seat before his father. "Just homesickness really, I know this was a path that I chose for myself, and the twins, but I haven't quite gotten used to being away from all of you, yoi."

Edward's face softened some, "I admit the change hasn't been easy for us either, but we are never truly too far apart Marco, are the kids taking the move hard?"

"No, Haru and Thatch have actually fallen in love with the new place, yoi." Marco assured his father. "They've already made quite a few friends at their daycare. And the caretaker there assures me that they are adapting to their scheduled activities really well."

"Gurararara, as should be expected of those little brats." he declared with unabashed pride. "So then what is bothering you, Marco?"

"I fear I made the wrong choice," Marco exhaled a sigh. "Was I right in moving them so far away from their family, they're happy now, but everything is still shiny, new, and exciting, yoi. What will I do if they want to come back to the home they've always known? Or what if something happens to them at the daycare and I am unable to pick them up, yoi. The family is either one or two hours away and I don't know anyone there to take care of Haru and Thatch in case of an emergency or what if–"

"Marco," Edward's voice was soft as he interjected what was becoming a list of probabilities for worst case scenarios. "Calm yourself. All of these questions are natural for any parent to ask when they first venture out into the world, do you believe you made the wrong decision by accepting the promotion?"

"At this point...I honestly don't know, yoi." Marco confessed. "I thought I was doing the right thing, but lately I don't know."

"Give it time, son." Edward smiled, "You can't let yourself fall into a pit of 'what if's', and it is still too early to decide what will be best for you and the kids. But if you are unhappy there, know that your family always has your back." Edward winked.

Marco could feel his cheeks flush slightly. Edward had always been exceptionally perceptive when it came to his children, and Marco was no exception to the rule. In all honesty, Marco should have known that though his fears for his precious toddlers were still very true, ultimately it was he who was having trouble adjusting to the move and his new job.

"Thank you, Oyaji." Marco breathed, and was finally able to relax into the chair. After that the two moved onto lighter topics, catching up on the last few days that had passed between them until they were called down for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there we go! Time to unwind with the family and go to concerts because those things are fun as fuck.
> 
> Does anyone have any guesses as to why Hancock has singled out Marco? What's her ultimate game plan here? Oh and Greendrkness on ff.net brought up a good point! Though I know Canonically, Hancock hates men, in the AU assume she has been brought up outside of Kuja influence, there is no "women's only" island here so she does not hate all men, just you know, Marco.
> 
> I would love to hear your thoughts and I can always offer a snippet of next time's chapter if you choose to, just let me know!~
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who has favorited, followed and reviewed you guys are the best!~ Till next time my loves!~


	4. Family Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Okay so this one is going to be a little on the shorter side, I don't know if people notice that I try to keep chapters around 3k, this is just under that because I want a whole new scene at the end that I would need more than 200 words for.
> 
> So please bear with me, and as always, this is unbeta'd and please enjoy!~

"And so the little bird was able to make it back to his nest, just as the stars began to come out to play. The end, yoi." Marco finished his bedtime story to the two children. Haruta was in the process of nodding off, her eyes struggling to stay open as she listened to the end of the story, while Thatch was already fast asleep in his bed.

Marco smiled softly as he kissed Haruta's forehead first, "Goodnight my love, I'll see you in the morning, yoi."

Haruta managed a smile before she too succumbed to sleep and drifted off.

A kiss and goodnight was also given to Thatch before a soft voice spoke up.

"Oh how adorable!" Izo whispered, "The little angels were tired after their long day. And speaking of days, Marco my dear would you like some tea?"

Marco supposed the talk she had promised they would have could only be out off so long before she hunted him down. "You say that like you'll let me get away without having tea with you, yoi."

Izo said nothing, but merely smiled and walked into the room, wishing the twins her own goodnights before leading Marco back down to where the kitchen was.

Moments later, the two were sitting at the kitchen island, across one another. Two cups of golden monkey tea served and ready to drink. Marco, however, wasn't drinking it, instead he nursed his cup, watching the steam rose out and disappeared in front of him.

"Marco, honey. You know I hate seeing you like this." Izo began, her hand reaching out to gently lay over his. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Unless you can make people flip their personalities, I'm afraid there is no helping this matter, yoi." Marco confessed.

Izo hummed, a signal for him to continue and Marco nodded, telling her about the first interaction he had had with Hancock Boa and their interactions as well as he could remember them.

"She had this deep rooted loathing for me, yoi," Marco concluded, "And I can't even begin to pinpoint where I went wrong so I can at least try to fix things. She's turning the entire office against me, and I just…" he trailed off shoulders slumped.

Izo said nothing at first, finishing off her tea and pouring herself another cup. "From the sound of it, there are two possibilities that I can see. And neither of them is going to be easy to hear."

"Women like her are catty, defensive, and overall unpleasant to be around. I have no doubt that she was the queen bee of the company, admired and looked up to by the rest of the staff to the point that her head became too big and she came to  _expect_  immediate appraisal and submission. The fact that you didn't automatically fall to her feet was a challenge to her of sorts. In her mind she must think your sole purpose in showing up is to take over what she has worked for. Not only to challenge her authority but to take her position as well.

"Alternatively, and hear me out it's going to sound crazy." Izo warned beforehand, taking a sip of her tea and effectively notching up the anticipation.

"To be put simply, she has a crush on you." Izo finished, setting her cup down once again and tsk'ing softly.

"Oh please, don't look so shocked Marco, love. You're a very handsome man any girl in her right mind would love to be by your side, and the fact that you have kids." she shrugged her shoulders delicately. "It shows that you are entirely dependable when it comes to family."

Marco was stunned, he didn't know what to say to his sisters ridiculous claims. That's what they were ultimately, the first suggestion had merit, it had crossed his mind once or twice on the drive up to the family home, but to say that Hancock was...infatuated with him? Was that really why she kept playing these mind games?

"B-but this doesn't make sense, yoi" Marco stammered out, still not entirely recuperated from his shock.

"Doesn't it?" Izo wondered out loud, "Remember when we were children and that kid Teach lived with us?"

Marco snorted, "How can I forget, when he wasn't off stealing from the house he was running rampant through the town and harassing the local children yoi. To this day I can't even count how many parents I had to apologize to on his behalf."

Izo's smile was thin, no humor behind it as she nodded, "And from what I remember, most of those parents were from a family where Teach harassed their daughter. Do you remember why?"

Marco was not at all liking where the conversation was going, but he answered his sister nonetheless. "Because he used to tease them, pull their hair, trip them and be an overall creep, yoi."

"Exactly." Izo frowned. "Teach was one of those kids that was raised to think that if he liked someone, a girl in particular, then he could then show his affection through being a bully by pulling their hair, calling them names, and well you know the rest. So think about it, if she isn't defending her position by alienating you, then what does she stand to gain?"

Marco slumped in his chair, a groan leaving him as he rubbed at his face tiredly. "Why are these things never simple, yoi. Is it really so hard for the universe to just give me this? A nice quiet environment for me to work in and get my kids through college without having to constantly be bashed by people who don't even get the chance to know me before they spout off rumors."

Izo's look was apologetic, "Marco, you know we would all support you if you chose to leave Baroque Works."

"I know you would, yoi." Marco sighed, "And if I hadn't just invested my savings into the house I would take the chance, but I can't. I made a choice and now I have to stick to it."

"You and I both know that you have other options." Izo murmured softly.

To which Marco shook his head. "I couldn't, I know Oyaji would be more than ecstatic to have us back, and he wouldn't mind getting me out of this bind as well as a new job, but…" his smile was thin, only slightly strained. "I can't rely on him forever, yoi. I can't make my burden his."

"Marco you are not a burden." Izo assured him, her voice carrying that tone that warned him not to test her stand on the matter.

But truth of the matter was, Marco couldn't help but feel that he was. Oyaji had offered Marco a position at the boating company the family owned, but Marco didn't have the heart to accept it. Marco had believed–and still did–he did not deserve the position that was offered to him, he couldn't piggy back on the generosity and name of his father all of his life after all. Marco wanted to carve his own future as well as that of his children with the help of his family.

"Sometimes, it's hard to tell, Izzy." Marco grumbled.

His sister frowned, "When was the last time you went out, Marco?"

"Huh?" Marco asked, his eyebrows knitting at the sudden change in topic.

"You're clearly stressed, and mulling over this harpy is by all means doing you no favors. How about I take the kids tomorrow and you can take some time to unwind?"

"But I was planning on spending all day with Haru and Thatch tomorrow, yoi." Marco  _nearly_  pouted, nearly. His official first day off was on Saturday and he had wanted to spend all day with his children.

"You can have them on Sunday." Izo grinned, "Besides I missed them, do you realize how long my week has been without them?"

"I missed them too." Marco said with a resigned voice, knowing he would be unable to sway his sister any other way, she had set her mind up on this, and Marco was going to get a day off whether he wanted to or not.

"Great." Izo stood and kissed Marco's cheek before setting the two cups away, "I heard Rakuyo and the others had a great day planned for tomorrow and he said he always has room for one more person to join him. So I told him you'd be happy to tag along, so try to have fun."

Marco opened his mouth to ask what exactly did their brother have in store for him, but Izo was quick to shake her head. "Nuh-uh. If I tell you, then what fun would a surprise be? Just enjoy your day off tomorrow Marco."

* * *

"Eight...Nine...Ten! Ready or not here I come!" Izo called into the lush backyard as she uncovered her eyes and peered about. It didn't take long for her to hear the sound of distant giggling as a smile formed on her lips. She truly had missed the twins.

Izo hummed to herself as she went in the opposite direction from where the stifled giggles were coming from and made a show to look behind the law chair with an exaggerated, "Aha!"

"Oh, they weren't here." Izo said more loudly than she needed to, causing the pair of three year olds to giggle from where they were hiding.

"I wonder where they could be." Izo called out playfully as she moved over to where the bushes were and followed the same revealing method, "There you are!" she said into empty space and pouted as soon as she made it known that the kids were not in fact there.

Moving towards the shed, Izo called out, "Come out, come out wherever you are!"

"No, we're hiding!" Thatch answered through a fit of giggles, Izo quickly joining him, "You hafta find us Aunty Izzy."

Izo laughed, "But you two disappeared. Are you...here?" she asked as she looked behind one of the potted plants and came up with empty space once again.

"Hehe, nooooope." the chorus of childish laughter floated over to Izo as she tapped her chin, feigning her thought process. "Well, if they aren't here, or there… then are they…" she trailed off now walking over to where Stefan's puppy house was.

"Here?" she asked and peered inside.

The two kids who were cuddled with the family dog squealed with laughter as Izo poked her head into the doghouse, while Stefan barked wagging his tail happily.

"You found us!" Haruta cheered as she was helped out of the little house by Izo. "You're a good finder!"

"Thank you my loves, but you two are also really great hiders, now what would you two like for lunch?" Izo asked as she took the duo into her arms and lead them back inside.

"I want a pb and h!" Thatch announced on one side while Haruta took a little longer to make a decision, "Mac and cheese please!~"

"Of course my darlings, go wash up and I will have your lunch ready soon." Izo said settling the kids down and took an apron into her hands.

"Yes Aunty Izzy!" two voices said in unison as they zipped down the hallway, Stefan trailing happily after them.

"They really do liven the house up don't they?" a deep voice spoke softly as Izo began to pull out the necessary ingredients to tend to her niece and nephew.

"Indeed they do." Izo smiled at her father, "What would you be having for lunch Oyaji, peanut butter and honey sandwich, or macaroni and cheese?"

"Gurararara, I'll have the sandwich." the large man laughed settling in his chair

* * *

"And where did you say that we're going again, yoi?" Marco asked from his seat in the back of the family compact car, seated between Namur and Vista.

"We told you already, Marc." Rakuyo said with a glance at the rear view mirror where he could see the blonde man sitting in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest. "It's a surprise."

Marco sighed, "The last time you three took me on a surprise trip, we ended up lost in the woods with little to no provisions, yoi. Please tell me this isn't another one of your impromptu fishing trips, or a spontaneous camping day, I would like to return to my children alive and not mauled by a bear."

Whitey Bay's laugh erupted from the passenger seat as the lilac haired woman tuned in her seat to look over to Marco. "Trust me, we aren't going anywhere near the woods, so calm down and relax, isn't that what Izo said to do?"

Next to Marco, Vista rumbled with a laugh of his own, "Listen to Whitey Marco, besides do we look forest ready to you?" He asked motioning to his casual attire.

"You wore nearly the same thing that time, yoi." Marco deadpanned but nodded to his siblings all the same, it wasn't like he could bail now anyway, Marco was stuck in whatever family trip they had planned whether he wanted to or not.

Two hours of chatter however, proved to ease Marco's mind and once he confirmed that he was nowhere near a forested area he was further relieved. Still, he couldn't help but wonder where exactly his siblings had decided to take him to. Marco had tried to pick up clues from the four of them to where they would be taking him, but it seemed that years of living with Marco worked against his favor and yielded no answers.

Marco had all but given up his mission to figure out where he was headed when the car began to slow down the closer they got to the Dressrosa Colosseum.

"What are we doing in Dressrosa?" Marco found himself asking.

"Having fun, what else?" Namur asked with a dismissal wave of his hand, "You'll find out in a second."

And find out he did.

_The Spades._

They were a good mile away from the Colosseum, but even from that distance Marco could see the announcement displayed proudly on the colosseum's outer walls. "A concert, yoi?"

"Not just  _any_  concert!" Whitey announced from her seat, her voice filled with excitement as she turned to face him again. " _The Concert_ of the year! Anyone who is anyone is going to be there, and the set! Marco so you realize how hard we had to work to get these tickets?"

Marco, honestly, did not. He was sure that at some point in his life he would have been just as excited to be there, but that was a different time, a different  _him_. Marco was all about concerts and partying and just having a great time before he received word of being a father, after that his knowledge and interest in those events dwindled until he had left that behind as well.

"I had to pull  _major_  strings." Whitey assured Marco, "But it's cool, don't worry about it. Squard owed me a few favors and well, I think we're more than even now." his sister winked at him.

And so Marco had no choice but to attend the concert. As he sat in the backseat of the small car, Marco couldn't help but wonder if he even belonged in those scenes anymore?

When they got to the Colosseum, the line was  _massive_. There were people crowding the side entrance in what appeared to be a haphazard line in which they stood in either pairs or groups with the occasional single straggler.

Marco stood there in a slight trance of amazement, if anyone were to see him in that moment, they would have pegged him as a first timer to such an event. But the familiarity of the scene was returning to Marco. The anticipation of being in the roaring crowd and the music all around him was starting to build up in him in a way he never thought he would experience again.

"Yo! Marco don't just stand there or we'll lose you, c'mon our entrance is over here." Vista called out taking a hold of Marco's sleeve and pulling him away from where he could only assume was the General Admission.

Marco peeled his eyes away from the crowd to follow his siblings, the chatter of the gathering crowd becoming nothing more than murmurs as he was escorted into the building and given a laminated pass. He eyed the plastic item before slinging it around his neck, his sister sure knew how to work Squard if she was able to score early admission  _and_  VIP section.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! Yes! I'm sorry Ace and Sabo did not make it into this week's chapter, BUT they will be in the next one! There will be some interaction in the concert, but I cannot say what will happen ^^ if you have predictions please let me know? I absolutely love reading them! T-T/ so much...
> 
> Also this chapter debunks Whitey as the twins mom, so that's another candidate down, I'm afraid. To date no one has guessed who she is, but that's okay we still have some time to go before she is revealed!
> 
> Thank you so much to everyone who is reading and supporting this fic with kudos and comments! Till next Time!~


	5. Concert

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys! Look who's back!
> 
> I was so excited for this chapter because two things! 1. I love concerts, and two, read the bottom notes!~
> 
> Enjoy!~

"Great turn out isn't it?" Whitey asked as she handed Marco a cup and took a sip from hers. And sighed when he didn't immediately drink from it, "Don't worry Marc, Namur already claimed the DD, so you can just relax and do what we set out to do, a few cups won't kill you."

"No, but a hangover might." Marco stated dryly as he looked distastefully at the drink in his hand. Just what was his family up to? Marco couldn't help but to ponder this as he looked into the depths of the dark liquid. They knew very well that Marco had long since given that vice up once the news of his twins had come to light. So then why.

As if reading his mind, Rakuyo sighed, "Just enjoy the night Marco, if I remember correctly you were able to handle up to five cups. Two is all we ask."

"I can enjoy myself without this, yoi." he said handing the cup over to Rakuyo, "I appreciate the effort you four are making to help get in the mood of this, but I don't think liquor is going to help my case."

Rakuyo opened his mouth to protest, but before he could Vista laughed, diffusing the situation. "Come now Rakuyo, the man wants to enjoy the show sober who are we to deny him that luxury on his first concert in 10 years, hm?"

Marco sent Vista a grateful smile while the other two siblings winked at Marco, "If you change your mind, we're here for you bro."

"I'll keep that in mind, yoi." Marco said, relaxing his posture as he went back to people watching, while the opening act was on stage testing out their equipment and the sound reception of the room.

It never ceased to amaze Marco how diverse the crowds were at these sort of events, the genre of the concert was a blurred line between punk rock and heavy metal. And though one would expect to only see people clothed in nothing but leather, fishnets, studs, and anything black, it wasn't entirely true. The majority of the people admittedly fit into those categories, but it also wasn't the only style or type of people. There were people who looked like they had wanered in from the streets, in simple jeans and t-shirts. The occasional mother or father, or both parents, who accompanied their child to the event. And the older couples who liked the ambiance and style of music.

"Who was the opening act again?" Namur asked as he joined them, no longer wearing the tank top he had arrived with, but a new t-shirt that had large eroded font spelling out " _New World Tour XXXX_ " across his chest.

"You're the one wearing the shirt, yoi." Marco snorted, amused that his brother had bought the garment and hadn't bothered to look.

"Will you look at that." Namur laughed, "But I can't see the back, mind looking for me?" he asked and turned around before Marco could reply.

Looking over the design of the shirt, Marco read over the names, "The Spades have two introductory bands that will open the night, yoi. Looking for Raftel, and The Pirate Kings. After that Devil Fruits will do their set and finishing up the night will be The Spades."

"Ah right, I can never remember the names of the smaller bands, I tried looking one of them up on the website tour, but I couldn't find any of their music." Namur stated as he turned to Marco again and shrugged his shoulder.

"They're bound to get a few fans here." Marco hummed as he looked to the rows above the lower level of the Colosseum, there were upwards of a hundred people already filling up the rows, all of them buzzing with excitement as the people on stage finished their tuning.

"That's for sure." Vista agreed and emptied the contents of his cup. "I'm gonna go get another cup, wanna come with?"

"Sure." Marco smiled and followed after his brother as they weaved through the crowd.

The beverage stand was set off to the side of the Colosseum, cups already placed on the counter and ready to be filled for the customers.

"What can I get you?" The man asked already reaching for the nozzle to the beer dispenser.

"None of that my friend," Vista began with a boisterous laugh and went on to tell the man if they had certain drinks. Beside him, Marco was sure that the conversation wasn't going to be ended soon and tuned out his brother, and started his people viewing again.

"Hey are you in line?" a voice snapped Marco away from his search, and he turned to meet a pair of illuminated gray eyes.

"I–" the words died on Marco's tongue, and try as he might he was unable to answer so he simply shook his head and moved off to the side.

The man blinked, but much to Marco's relief he didn't comment on Marco's bizarre behavior. "Thanks," the freckled man grinned as he stepped up, and thus closer to Marco. "It's a great turn out isn't it?" he said repeating Whitey's earlier question.

"No problem." Marco said, finally finding his voice after he tore his gaze away from the enchanting man before him, "A lot of people came out to see them, yoi." Marco nodded as his eyes lingered over the people around them and returned to the shorter man.

"Who are you here to see, The Spades or Devil Fruits?"

"I was actually invited along last minute." Marco admitted sheepishly, knowing his brother was too involved in whatever discussion he was having with the person behind the alcohol counter to pay him any attention.

"Don't tell me you aren't secretly happy to be here though," the stranger laughed, "You seem like the type of guy who will enjoy The Spades, ever heard of any of their songs?"

Marco didn't have time to ponder on what type of guy he looked like to give such an impression on the other, he was too busy trying to come up with coherent sentences that wouldn't make him look like a complete idiot.

"I have. A few. Set Sail and No Regrets are the ones I like most, yoi," It was strange for Marco, to find himself in such a situation, tongue tied and uncertain of what to say to a man he had met literally a minute ago. Normally Marco was a great conversationalist, he was able to smoothly enter and maintain a conversation with most everyone. Age, status, gender, appearance,  _nothing_  had ever deterred Marco from being social, so then what was it?

"Now I'm convinced, where have you been all my life?" The man laughed, "Marry me!" The smile he received in return for his answer was–for lack of a better word–incredible.

"Marco?" Vista's voice snapped Marco out of his heart attack. Marco had to pry his eyes away from that smile to look at his brother who had a troubled expression on his face.

"I–everything's fine, yoi." Marco spoke quickly hoping to ease his brothers worries, "I was just–"

"Shit," Marco was interrupted by the freckled man again, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that, my mouth tends to outpace my brain, I didn't mean anything by it," his smile was sheepish now as he clasped the back of his neck. "Seriously didn't mean to cause any trouble, enjoy the show guys." and with that he moved on ahead in line, taking Vista's place.

"That...wasn't odd at all." Vista commented looking from the freckled man to Marco, though the older sibling didn't say anything in response, thanking the gods when the microphone screeched and someone climbed onto the stage.

As they made their way back into the gathered crowd, Marco was unable to help himself a last glance at the man, his heart sinking into his stomach as he noticed that he was walking away with not one, but two cups.

"Marco?" Vista's look was still uncertain as they neared the spot where the rest of their siblings were gathered.

"I'm good, really I am. Caught off guard, but don't worry about it Vista." His brother nodded and let the matter go just as they reached Namur and the presenter waltzed onto the stage shouting his greetings, pumping up the crowd.

* * *

"Was the line that long" Sabo asked as he was handed the drink, vaguely listening to the announcer addressing the crowd.

"Not really, just some guy who was talking up the bartender. Though the wait wasn't unbearable, I managed to find some good company."

"Don't you always?" Sabo asked with a laugh, "Were they blonde?"

"You know it." Ace grinned, "Though I wish it would have been this blonde instead." he winked and before Sabo could reply, he captured Sabo's lips in a kiss. The crowd around them roaring with applause as the first band began their own introduction, asking the audience if they were ready for them.

Sabo grinned into the kiss and broke away to join the crowd in it's wild cries.

" _Good evening Dressrosa! Who's ready to blow this Colloseum up?"_ The lead singer of the first band called to the crowd, his deep voice resonating through the large speakers and thundering around all of them.

Whoops and screams surrounded Marco as the crowd eagerly showed their enthusiasm for the act that was to follow.

" _That's what we like to hear!"_  the man on stage laughed, genuine mirth in his words, " _Before we start I would like to thank our older brothers and mentors, the Spades for such a great opportunity. You guys are amazing! This is our debut as Looking for Raftel with our song: The Gallows."_

The man stepped away from the microphone just as the lights around the Colosseum went out, plunging the audience in darkness. The lights on the stage seemed to glow brighter now as they stole everyone's attention and that's when the music started playing.

It was gradual, the strumming of the guitar, the beat of the drum, the low enchanting lull of the bass. They all surrounded Marco as the crowd seemed to fade into the background, the melody of the heavy instruments growing in intensity as the band continued to play hyping the crowd with its song.

Marco closed his eyes as he stood there, his ears filled with the song the band played, his soul seemed to tremble with each beat, Marco could  _feel_  the vibrations of the singer's voice, their haunting melody.

A slow breath left Marco's trembling lips as he relived the sensations he had long since abandoned, it was intoxicating, this atmosphere he had found himself in. He was surrounded by the heat of so many bodies around him, weed, tobacco, alcohol and people's varying scents filled his nostrils pushing him further into nostalgia.

The first song ended and Marco finally cracked a smile, if he was going to be abducted to a concert, he might as well enjoy it right? And truly, he was finding himself pulled further and further into the time when he actively sought out these events, where he was just another person in the crowd screaming at the top of his lungs to the lyrics even after his throat was sore and voice hoarse with strain.

As the night continued, band after band played the songs they were introducing to the world for the first time, or some that the world already knew all the lyrics too.

Ace and Sabo were there amongst the crowd, swept up in the moment as they sang along with the songs they knew well, and hell even those they were more or less familiar with. And whenever the time presented itself, Ace would break away from Sabo with a kiss and join the infamous mosh pit and crowd surfing.

The night was close to ending, The Spades had taken the stage and they bellowed at the already pumped up crowd that begged for more.

" _Are you ready!"_  the singer demanded more than asked, to which the crowd exploded with eager yells, begging them to entertain and enchant them with their songs.

" _I asked if you were fucking ready Dressrosa!"_

The same response was given with such fervor and intensity until the lead singer was convinced that the crowd was ready to be placed under his spell.

And, oh did they deliver on their promise. The stage erupted with sound as the first song dedicated to the fans was played out and the crowd was more than ready for them, Marco included. Marco yelled into the crowd along with everyone else, his voice joining the chorus of screaming fans as they did their best to follow along with the lyrics. Some of them were able to keep up perfectly, years of devotion to the band rewarding them with the knowledge of the words and the accurate rhythm and melody. Others, such as Marco just screamed the words to the song, not caring if they were horribly off key or not. Because quite frankly no one was there to judge, not when so many voices were mixing with the overpowering thunder of the music.

The song ended and soon so did the next. The audience was  _living_ for them, hanging into every beat and breath of the band.

Sabo and Ace were no different, they fell into the rhythm and screamed along with the rest of the crowd, and when the time came he climbed into the crowd. There was an immeasurable thrill that  _possessed_  Ace to be one with the crowd, to trust them entirely as he was carried over their heads and towards the stage where he would be put down safely and then returnt to joining the crowd.

The tricky part came when Ace was shifted from the general attendance crowd down to the section where the people who were smart enough to buy VIP were. However, even that was a thrill in itself, Ace was prepared to get hurt, he had honestly survived far worse falls, but a smooth sail would be preferable.

The music pounded in his ears as Ace was safely dropped from the gen section down to the lower level where the VIP goers were gathered. Ace whooped into the crowd as his favorite song–No Regrets–continued to blare around him, and that was when he felt it.

Instead of feeling more hands taking a hold of him to help him in his journey, something collided with his boot and a cry was mixed in with the roar of the crowd. Ace wouldn't have been sure if he heard it had he not just been the one to cause the damage with his own foot.

Ace tugged at a few limbs until he was settled down and rushed back to where he saw the same man he had back at the drinks line.

"Oh fuck."

Marco was clutching at his face, his jaw in particular as he nursed the sudden burst of pain. The boot of the man who had been surfing the crowd had hurt like a bitch, what was the guy wearing steel toes?

It turns out that he very much was, Marco's eyes saw the boots that had attacked him. But whatever anger that was boiling within Marco instantly dissipated. His one eye opened in disbelief as he came face to face with the one person he never thought he would meet again.

By then Marco's siblings were no longer yelling into the crowd along with everyone else, and were surrounding Marco, asking if he was okay.

"I'm so sorry, man. Are you okay?" the freckled stranger asked, his eyes worried making Marco look away.

"I'm fine, yoi." Marco assured them, waving his hand as he lowered the other one cupping his cheek. "It was an accident after all." Marco added more for the reassurance of his siblings than anything else.

"You should get some ice on that." Whitey hummed, already moving to take his arm, but Marco stopped her with a shake of his head.

"Enjoy the rest of the show, I saw the infirmary tent on the way in, I'll be fine."

The others looked less than convinced, but knew better than to argue with Marco and instead nodded, telling him that they would be there when he returned.

As he was moving away, Ace followed after the man–Marco was it?.

"Oh fuck I'm sorry, I didn't mean to–" Ace tried to make amends for his sudden assault.

But a low chuckle stopped him in his apology. "It isn't the first time I've had an injury at these things. I once broke two fingers from joining a death wall...not my brightest moments, yoi." Marco confessed as he reached the edge of the crowd and headed over to where the booth was placed for injuries such as his. First aid was always mandatory at these sort of events after all. And a call to an ambulance was never out of the norm, but that wasn't to say that they happened regularly. It just meant that they were  _prone_  to happen.

"That's rough." the man commented as Marco smiled to the woman who looked over him and gave him a sympathetic smile in return.

Marco took an empty seat inside the small booth and incredibly enough the man followed. "I should have known better, and to be honest with you I had barely registered the pain when it happened, it wasn't until mid song that someone pointed at my hand and I noticed how  _off_  my fingers were, yoi." Marco chuckled taking the offered ice pack from the woman.

The youth whistled lowly. He never participated in the death wall, but he always itched to do so, two opposing sides rushing at each other and colliding with limbs flying everywhere, it was a tempting thought but Ace always refrained, he couldn't risk crushing his hands after all, he needed them for work.

"I'm uh," Ace lowered his head in apology, "I'm also sorry I said you know, in front of your boyfriend, I really hope that I didn't cause any trouble."

The throbbing pain was being dulled by the cold of the ice, but Marco could feel it all too well when his mouth formed a small O.

"Vista's not my boyfriend, yoi." Marco said, "He's my brother."

The look of confusion the freckled man shot Marco was a mirror of the one he himself had sported not even a second ago and Marco laughed. "We're adopted, our father never had children of his own and all five of us and a few others are his adopted children."

"I see." Ace muttered, thinking back to the glares he had received from the group the blonde was from. "Still I'm sorry about all of this."

Marco waved his hand in response, "It'll be fine the bruise will heal in time, maybe don't wear the steel toes next time?"

The freckled man flushed, "Yeah, I think I'll opt for sneakers next time. My name's Ace by the way, sorry we had to meet like," he gestured to Marco's ice pack.

"Marco." he said in return and shook the offered hand, "Don't worry about me though, enjoy the last few songs for me."

The smile he got in response was certainly something to behold. "Definitely." and with that he vanished into the crowd again.

* * *

"I can't believe you!" Izo looked horrified as she tenderly looked over Marco's bruise. "I can't let any of you out of my sight for a minute."

"It's just a bump Izzy, relax." Whitey slurred from where she was lounging on the couch.

"A bump! This is a welt!" Izo fussed as she applied more ice to Marco's face.

"My face is going numb, yoi. Any more ice and I might get frostbite." Marco grumbled, wincing at the initial contact.

"You should have thought of that before you decided to greet someone's foot with your face!" Izo retorted and sighed, "But the damage is done, keep that on for another hour and get some sleep soon."

"Of course. They didn't give you too much trouble did they?"

Izo's smile warmed as she shook her head, "None at all, they missed you during bedtime but I told them you'd be here tomorrow morning to play."

"Looks like we'll be playing doctor." Marco chuckled, "Make sure to have the first aid kit ready, yoi.".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ace and Marco have meeeet!~ Though not under great circumstances lol. I was debating a punch to the face or a kick to the jaw, guess which one won over.
> 
> But yes! I love these events, I've been to like a handful of them, 4 or so and I love each and every one of them but they can get dangerous! The Death Wall is usually done with heavier music like the serious heavy metal/screamo type but they could break out in other places too. Mosh pits can _be_ harmless but also depends if anyone is throwing punches or not. Same goes for Crowd surfing, if you are not anticipating someone being carried _above_ you then it can get ugly, I had a couple bumps to the head, nothing serious ofc, but still lol. Be careful at these events guys!~
> 
> I'm sorry for the lack of baby Thatch and Haru, but they'll have their own adventure next time.
> 
> Please let me know your thoughts?
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has supported this story with reads, kudos, and comments!!!!! You guys are great! Till next time!~

**Author's Note:**

> There is just something so so endearing about Marco as a father!~ And to have double the trouble! Ah I couldn't resist, please let me know what you think! Also any ideas as to who the mom of the twins is I would love to hear your thoughts on that and why she has not been mentioned. Anyone who leaves a theory gets a sneak peek to the next chapter :3
> 
> Till Next Time!~


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